In general, coated abrasive discs have abrasive particles secured to a backing. Typically, coated abrasive discs comprise a backing having two opposed major surfaces and an abrasive layer secured to one of the major surfaces. The abrasive layer typically comprises of abrasive particles and a binder that secures the abrasive particles to the backing.
One common type of coated abrasive disc has an abrasive layer formed of a make layer, a size layer, and abrasive particles. In making such a coated abrasive disc, a curable make layer precursor is typically applied to a major surface of a backing and optionally partially cured. Abrasive particles are then at least partially embedded into the (optionally partially cured) curable make layer precursor, and the make layer precursor is sufficiently cured to provide a make layer that secures the abrasive particles to the backing. A curable size layer precursor is then applied over the make layer and abrasive particles, followed by sufficient curing of the size layer precursor to provide a size layer.
Another common type of coated abrasive disc comprises an abrasive layer secured to a major surface of a backing, wherein the abrasive layer is provided by applying a slurry having a curable binder precursor and abrasive particles onto a major surface of a backing, and then sufficiently curing the binder precursor to form an abrasive layer.
Coated abrasive discs may further comprise a supersize layer covering the abrasive layer. The supersize layer typically includes grinding aids and/or anti-loading materials.
Backings used in coated abrasive discs may be treated with one or more applied coatings. Examples of typical backing treatments are a backsize (i.e., a coating on the major surface of the backing opposite the abrasive layer), a presize or a tie layer (i.e., a coating on the backing disposed between the abrasive layer and the backing), and/or a saturant that saturates the backing. A subsize is similar to a saturant, except that it is applied to a previously treated backing.
Depending on the particular choice of abrasive layer and backing (e.g., treated or untreated), the abrasive layer may partially separate from the backing during abrading resulting in the release of abrasive particles. This phenomenon is known in the abrasive art as “shelling”. In most cases, shelling is undesirable because it results in a loss of performance. Besides shelling, another important abrasive property is the “cut” (i.e., rate of cut), that is, the amount of material removed from a workpiece over a given period under specific test conditions. Various test methods are used to evaluate cut (e.g., swing arm abrasion or slide action abrasion). Generally, values of cut that are observed with a given coated abrasive disc depend on the particular test method used, so care should be taken when comparing the cut of abrasive articles to ensure that identical test conditions are used.